Time Stands Still
by ErectoPatronum
Summary: Severus Snape has a duty. He is charged with the protection of Harry Potter. Harry Potter, who is nearly 3 and is a long way off from coming to Hogwarts. Harry Potter who is skinny and small. Harry Potter who is clearly not well. Harry Potter who needs a home. He knows he can never accomplish this alone, but who is better at protecting the boy than the man who swore to protect him?
1. Chapter 1

" _Her son lives. He has her eyes, precisely her eyes. You remember the shape and color of Lily Evan's eyes, I am sure?"_

" _DON'T!" bellowed Severus. "Gone… dead…"_

" _Is this remorse, Severus?"_

" _I wish… I wish I were dead…"_

" _And what use would that be to anyone?" said Dumbledore coldly. "If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear."_

" _What- what do you mean?"_

" _You know how and why she died. Make sure it is not in vain. Help me protect Lily's son."*_

Severus woke from his fitful sleep, his eyes snapping open. He had been having the same dream over and over again for weeks, replaying the conversation he had had with Dumbledore a year and a half before in his dreams, the plea of protecting the Potter boy haunting him. So far, Severus hadn't tried to protect the boy. Severus rationalized in his head that with the Dark Lord dead, he had no reason to try to protect the child. After all, there was no reason for him to care about the child. He was with Lily's sister, which while it wasn't ideal, Severus knew the boy wouldn't die and that's all he cared about.

Still, something wasn't sitting well with him and he knew what he should do. With a sigh, the young man heaved himself out of bed and to his wardrobe. Dressing for the day, Severus shoved his socked feet into his dress shoes and trudged down the stairs to his kitchen. Filling the coffee machine that sat on his counter from his father, Severus moved about the room, preparing a light breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs. Once the pot was filled with the hot liquid, he poured himself a mug, sipping the black brew as the room filled with June sunlight.

When he finished, the young man put the plate and mug in the sink, to be washed when he returned. Striding to the fireplace, Severus tossed a handful of floo powder into the fireplace, stepping through to his destination.

*S*S*

Albus Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, reading over the new school years' roster of first year students when his floo activated and Severus Snape, his new potions master came through. Severus was due to start working the upcoming September as Horace wished to retire at the end of the current school year.

"Severus, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Albus looked up from the parchment with a smile.

"I need to know where Harry Potter lives." Severus sat down on one of the hard chairs in front of his employer's desk, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Severus, I remember you saying you wanted nothing to do with the boy until he turned eleven." Albus looked at him over his half-moon glasses, his eyes twinkling.

"I fear that there is something not right with where the boy is living. I have no proof, and I have no reason to be trusted, but my conscious is telling to check on his living situation." Severus pushed off his knees to sit up straight in the chair.

"Severus, I trust you. Even though you haven't had the best past, everyone deserves a second chance. I know I haven't had the best past either and I have the reputation of being the kindest wizard on the planet. I have seen the best in you Severus." Albus handed the younger wizard a folder. "This is all the information we have on Harry Potter to date. Go to Surrey and come back with your findings. If anything is wrong, we will move the boy, but do not try to remove him on your own."

"What if something is majorly wrong? I am just to leave a baby?" Severus was surprised at the headmaster's decision.

"We will work together to find a home for the boy after we have a case. You can't take him without the law on your side. You could be charged with kidnapping." Albus fixed the man before him with a hard stare.

"Yes sir I understand." With that, Severus stood up and walked to the fireplace, stepping through to his own home.

He sat down in his armchair with the folder in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. He only allowed himself one glass of any alcohol a day, though he would be lying to himself if he said that he always followed that rule. He didn't care that it was barely 10 am, he rationalized that he would need it.

Opening the folder on his lap, he skimmed over the first few pages, listing immunization records and doctor's visits. The next page detailed his parents and their blood status, which made Severus'' heart clench when he saw Lily's name and blood status on the parchment, followed by the word deceased.

"I'm so sorry, Lily." Severus flipped the page and saw pictures of what he presumed where of Petunia's family before Potter came to live with them. There was a large man and she still had her long neck. Severus remembered how she would use it to spy on him and Lily when they were children. On the next sheet there was a blonde baby that resembled a beach ball. He snapped the folder shut and stood.

Dumbledore be damned. He was going to do something more than observe.

*S*S*

Severus apparated to the darkening street of Privet Drive, his wand held firmly in his hand. He refused to take any chances, not knowing how the Dursley's would react to him barging into their home and taking their nearly three year old nephew.

Mustering up the courage he needed, which admittedly wasn't much, the young potions master went to the door and rapped his knuckles four times. As he waited, he could hear footsteps and a soft crying.

Faster than he thought, the door was pulled open quickly. Petunia Dursley stood with a large, round child on her hip and the source of the crying, a small baby that could be no older than 20 months was clinging to her pant leg, wailing for her to pick him up as well.

"Mrs. Dursley, I'm not sure if you remember me but I'm Severus Snape. I've been sent by Albus Dumbledore to evaluate how you have been treating Harry Potter."

Petunia gave him a foul look and tried to close the door in his face. "You will not be entering my home, you freak!"

Severus very calmly shouldered his way in and scooped up the sobbing boy. Bouncing him on his hip, Severus took note of the bony child who refused to calm. He was too light for his own good, which made Severus a little nervous. He needed food and lots of it, and a more caring family.

"Odd, how you would rather listen to the screaming rather than pick up the boy and care for him." Severus tutted, patting the boy on his back. He had a nephew Potter's age, and knew how to care for children, but he was shocked that his own aunt would rather he cry than comfort him.

"He's no family of mine. He's a freak, just like his mother and father. Blowing up my good china today and yesterday, my toilet caught on fire!"

Severus soothed the boy as her voice got higher and higher.

"My husband and I are not happy! We're thinking about putting him in an orphanage where he belongs." Petunia rocked her son in her arms.

"No need. I'll be taking him off your hands. It's clear to me that you and your husband are unfit to care for a gerbil, let alone a child. You clearly have not been feeding him, but have instead been overfeeding your own son. Your sister loved you dearly, till her dying day. And this is how you repay her? You should be ashamed of yourself."

Severus tucked the boy's head under his chin and rocked him back and forth. "if you would be so kind as to get the boy's personal items, so that we can be on our way. I would hate oh so much for you to be inconvenienced any longer."

Petunia's mouth puckered and she swiftly left the hallway they were standing in. Severus assumed it was to get the boy's clothes and toys but she was back, and Severus could hear the boy she was just holding screaming for attention in another room.

She wrenched open the door to the broom cupboard under the stairs where there was a stained mattress and a blanket full of holes. On the shelf about the bed, a few articles of clothing were stored and on the bed, a patchwork lion that Severus recognized as the one Lily made for her son when she found out she was pregnant.

He watched as she stuffed all the things other than the mattress and the blanket into a plastic shopping bag, not bothered to use a real bag for the boy and shoved it into Severus' arms.

Now, if you would be so kind, leave my home at once!"

*S*S*

Severus left the house and winched as the door behind him slammed shut. Severus shushed the boy he was holding and bounced him on his hip as he decided his next step.

He couldn't apparate with a baby, and the floo would be too violent. He could call a cab, but he had no money. But he could call someone else.

Severus strode down the street to the residence of Arabella Figg, who he knew to be a squib, assigned with the task of watching to make sure Potter didn't die. He knocked on the door of her home, holding his breath and hoping she was there.

"Yes?" the door was pulled open as far as the chain would allow and when the woman realized who he was, she closed and then released the chain, so she could throw open the door.

"Severus! What are you doing here? Why do you have little Harry?"

"I fear that his treatment has been less than desirable, and I have acted out in haste. I did not think of how I would get the child to Hogwarts once I got him to safety. Would it be possible for me to use your floo?"

Severus knew only one person who could drive a car and thankfully she was a few towns over on ministry business. Julianne Moore and Severus had met in University when they were 18. She was involved in child social services and he in potions. Through mutual friends and time, they started to date and in the past year, be had proposed. Though they were getting married in the upcoming year, Severus was not sure how she would react to his suggestion that they care for the child, for the time being, at least.

Nevertheless, he had to call her to get out of Surrey. Thankfully, she was wrapping up a conference a few miles away from Surrey and should be able to get them. He tossed the sparkly green powder into the fireplace and called out the name of the conference center she was in. As much as he hated it, he knelt and stuck his head in the flames, rather than stepping through. He held his breath and waited, praying she would come into the room.

When he heard footsteps, he called out to them, hoping it was Julianne or someone who knew her and would go get her.

"Severus?" Julianne dropped to her knees, her robes fluttering around her on the floor. "Why are you calling me in the middle of the day? Is everything alright?"

"Well, I acted out of haste and I may have kidnapped Harry Potter."

"Severus, what did you do?" Julianne was shocked and hoped he was joking.

"I went to Surrey and took the boy from his relatives. They were starving him. He's nearly 3 and he's skeletal. He would have died." Severus sighed, trying to reason with her.

"You don't have a way to get him to Yorkshire do you?" Julianne pulled her briefcase toward herself and dug inside for her keys. She drove a Ford Sierra and thankfully, she had a car seat already in the back for Christopher, Severus's nephew.

"I don't, and I would love you forever if you helped me out." Severus smirked, knowing his word choice was out of character.

"You dolt, you already love me forever. You gave me a ring to prove it. I'm in Guildford, so if you can entertain him for 15 minutes, I can be there to come and get you."

"You're a life saver. We're at Number 5 Privet Drive." Severus cut off the call and stood up, turning around to find Arabella feeding the boy dry cereal, which he was nearly inhaling.

"I figured he shouldn't have anything heavier. They barely feed him as is. He's lucky that he gets a meal every few days as far as the Dursley's are concerned." Arabella rolled her eyes. "They should have their own child taken away."

Severus smiled a little and sat in the chair next to the boy. Spying the plastic bag, Severus pulled the bag closer and started to rifle through it, handing the boy the stuffed toy.

"Kitty!" Harry hoarsely cried out, as if he rarely used his voice. He reached his little hands for it and stuffed a leg into his mouth, sucking on the fabric. Severus could remember doing the same to his stuffed snake when his father was in the living room below him, yelling at his mother.

Severus watched as the boy pulled the lion from his mouth long enough to stuff a handful of cereal into his mouth, chew and then jam the leg back into his mouth once more. The malnourished boy ate for about 20 minutes before there was the sound of a horn beeping outside.

Harry jumped and cowered, nearly tossing the cereal onto the floor by accident. Mrs. Figg picked him up and rocked him while Severus went outside with the plastic bag of clothes.

"Hi, Sev. What do you have here?" Julianne got out of the car and rounded it to stand at his side.

"This is what the Dursley's gave me for his clothes." Severus put the bag on the roof of the car and pulled out a hole filled jumper. It was stained and way too big for the baby, and Julianne narrowed her eyes at the garment.

"Well, he needs new clothes, and we need to get more children sized forks and such and cups. And he'll need a bed and other furniture and toys and the like, you know how Christopher can be about having his own space when he visits. We have the car seat and I brought Christopher's stroller and the diaper bag. Do you think he's potty trained?"

"I don't think so. He's wearing a diaper right now." Severus stuffed the sweater back into the plastic bag and tossed it into her trunk.

"We'll have to work on that then. After all, you rescued him, so we basically have to keep him."

"What do you mean?" Severus followed her up the walkway to number 5.

"Severus, no one has been kind to him other than Lily and James. We're going to be parents now, love. Christopher will be excited and your mother as well."

"I thought we could give him to the Weasleys' or something?" Severus opened the door and walked into the house with her. "Cora is going to be furious that we're doing this."

Cora was Severus' younger sister. Her husband had left when she was 6 months pregnant with Christopher and filed for divorce in the same year. Last they heard, he was drinking himself to death in Knockturn Alley.

"They have so many kids and Molly's pregnant. There is no way I'm sending him to them. And Cora won't be furious. She's been pushing for us to have kids for years." Julianne walked into the kitchen where Harry was sitting on the floor, playing with two cups and his lion. "Hi Harry!" She knelt on the floor next to him, a smile on her face.

"Hi," He was quiet and shy, and Julianne's heart broke.

"I like your lion. He's very cute."

"He no cute! He a killer! Raw!" Harry picked up the toy and shook it a little. He liked the nice lady who was talking to him. She wasn't yelling at him for playing and not cleaning and she was even on the floor with him. She reminded him of the lady who used to live next door to his aunt and uncle. She used to let him play on her daughter's swing set when his auntie went over with Dudley. He didn't know why, but there was something about her that made him want to trust her. There was an aura about her that just glowed.

"Oh, see I didn't know that. Do you know anything else about lions?" Julianne moved slowly so her back was against the cabinets under the sink. Harry watched her with wide eyes and didn't relax until she stopped moving. Once she was still, Harry moved a little closer to her, but was still nervous.

"They is fluffy and big kitties!" Harry handed her the toy and clumsily climbed into her lap. He tried this with his auntie before and he got pushed to the floor, but this lady was on the floor with him and she wasn't being loud.

"Oh ho, are they?" Julianne carefully looped her arms around his waist, so he wouldn't fall.

"MMhmm," He leaned against her chest.

"Harry, can I ask you a question?" Julianne looked at Severus who was talking to Arabella quietly in the other room. "Are your auntie and uncle nice to you?"

Harry started to squirm. "Uhhh, sometimes they hurt Harry. Auntie pushed Harry down today." He yanked the large sleeve back on his shirt and showed her the bruise that was on his forearm.

"Well, sweetie, do you want to stay with me and Severus, the man who came and got you today? We have a big backyard and Severus and I have a nephew that's your age that would love to meet you."

"Yeah!" Harry smiled, and Julianne moved him off her lap, so she could stand and pick him up. Settling him on her hip, Julianne walked to the living room to collect Severus.

"Harry, tell Severus that you want to live with us."

"Harry wanna live wif you!" Harry handed Severus his lion. Then he turned to Julianne and whispered, "You no hurt Harry?"

"No, honey, we will never hurt you." Julianne walked out of the house after saying goodbye to Arabella to put Harry in the car seat. She buckled him in the seat as Vernon Dursley was pulling into his driveway, making Harry start to cry.

"Harry, shhhh. He will never hurt you again." Julianne called Severus over to watch Harry and to calm him down while she confronted the whale of a man.

"Mr. Dursley," She was thankful she took her robes off before she got out of the car, so her expensive purple shirt and black skirt were exposed, her black heels clicking on the pavement.

"Who are you, what do you want?" He pulled his briefcase out of the car and shut the door.

"I'm Julianne Moore and I work for Wizarding Child Protective Services, or the W.C.P.S. for short. I have recently found out that you and your wife were abusing Harry Potter," She held up a hand when he tried to interrupt her. "You and your wife will be hearing from my office." She handed him her business card.

"How dare you come and threaten me, in my own neighborhood!" He went purple in the face.

"Oh, you think that that's a threat?" She laughed. "Fine, you want a threat? If you tread carefully, you won't be arrested, your wife won't be arrested, your son won't go into foster care and you won't be ruined completely." She slapped papers into his hand. "Read those, memorize them. This is what you could be charged with. We'll get in touch with you and let you know if we're going to charge you. You may, if you're lucky, only have to give money to his guardians to help them raise him. Worse case, you go to prison. How does 15-25 sound? Good day, sir." She stormed off to her car and climbed into the driver seat.

"What did you say to him? Severus was in the passenger seat, using his wand to make colorful bubbles for the boy, who was laughing.

"I simply informed him that he will be hearing from me later about his treatment of Harry." She turned the car on and pulled out onto the road. "Now, we are going into London and we will be outfitting Harry with all the things that a child needs."

"Julianne, this is going to be expensive…" Severus frowned. He and his fiancé lived rather cheaply, but it was simply due to his taste, having grown up with very little. They had the money to live rather comfortably, as her job with the W.C.P.S. and his job at Hogwarts paid rather well. She was up for a promotion to assistant director soon and she had already filled out the contract for the position.

"I have an account I set up with work for Harry. Everything he needs for us to set up a room and to get him clothes, toys, and furniture is on the W.C.P.S. After this haul, yes, we must buy things, but in this first round, we're not going to go broke." She turned onto the main road and onto the freeway on the way to London. "We have the spare bedroom, so we won't need to make a new room, which is good. I'm just happy he's away from those nasty people."

Severus nodded. "As am I. He's just a little boy." Severus handed the child a small baggy of dry cereal to snack on.

Julianne nodded and continued to drive. She wanted to get to Diagon Alley before the crowds got too bad, and she knew that Severus felt the same way about crowds. Harry, undoubtedly was the same as the two of them. Julianne was a little nervous about taking the small boy to the shops, but knew that he needed to be able to pick out his own items, like his toys and perhaps his bedding.

"Where we going?" Harry chirped from the backseat, his mouth full of cheerios.

"We," Julianne looked in the backseat via the rearview mirror "are going to London to get you toys and a bed and some clothes and anything else you want."

"But, but… Auntie says Harry doesn't get to have new things." Harry was clearly very confused.

"Well, lovie, your auntie is wrong. You very much deserve new things and you're going to get them. You can get a bunch of new toys and clothes that fit you."

"Oh." Harry plucked a loose thread on the car seat.

"Harry, we want to spoil you. You don't really have much, child and we want to change that." Julianne smiled at her fiancé's kind words. He wasn't always the most kind when he spoke, and it made her heart soar when he tried.

"But Harry doesn't get things 'cause he's a freak." Harry ducked his head down and a few tears slid down his nose.

"Love, you're not a freak. You're a very special little boy and we would love to buy you all sorts of fun things, like toys and clothes!" Julianne continued to go down the road, anxious to get the shopping trip started so they could get home and start decorating Harry's new room.

Severus and Julianne had built a cottage for themselves and the children they would have, spacious bedrooms ready for cribs and bright walls and scattered toys. There was a master bedroom and down the hall from their bedroom was the room set up for Severus' nephew, but there were three other choices for Harry. Julianne wanted him to have his own bedroom, and not have to share one with Christopher. They were in the process of setting up a large playroom in their basement, wanting there to be a place for their kids to play when it was raining out.

"Can Harry have some cars?" Harry perked up a little and blurted out his question. Dudley had these large toy cars that Harry always wanted to play with, but he was smacked by Auntie whenever he went near them.

"If you would like some cars, then we will get you some cars," Severus pointed to the exit they needed, to make sure his fiancée didn't miss it.

After a few moments, Julianne pulled into the muggle parking lot of the Leaky Caldron. "Alright, boys, let's go shopping!"

 _ **This is the first chapter of a story I have wanted to write for a very long time! Finally, the Severus adopts Harry story I want to read is going to exist.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2 is up! Thank you for all the support!**_

Julianne walked around to the boot of the car and pulled out the stroller out for the toddler in the car. If she knew a thing about babies, Harry would have a temper tantrum at least once before the shopping trip was over. But nevertheless, she unfolded the stroller and loaded the child into it, strapping him in and giving him the bag of cheerios.

"Ready to go, you two?" Julianne put her purse on the handle of the stroller so her hands would be free, casting an anti- theft charm over the whole stroller with her hand. Part of her job was to know wandless magic, so they could calm children down without waving a stick in their faces.

"I hope we don't run into people we know." Severus grumbled. He hated having people know his business and shopping during the summer was his least favorite activity. There were always students of his out and about with their families and younger siblings. They always skirted around him, like he had some sort of disease, making him in a worse mood than when he started out the trip.

"I know you do, love. And if we do, we'll deal with it." She pushed the stroller into the pub and to the back of the room, avoiding the bar keep at all costs She knew he would cause a scene and Harry was too new to their world to be alright with the attention. Tapping the bricks, she opened the doorway to Diagon alley, and pushed the boy down the cobblestone street with her fiancé trailing behind her with his arms crossed.

"Thankfully, there is only one store that we need to go to, and I highly doubt anyone we know is in there."

Walking into Filbers Baby Supplies, Julianne passed the stroller over to Severus, who was content to follow her as she tapped her wand on a maple crib, a matching dresser, a rocking chair, a plush area rug and about a thousand other things. The purchases would be shrunk and wrapped at the front counter after they were done shopping. He was about to ask her a question about the curtains she was picking out, when there was a light tap on his shoulder with something sharp.

Turning, he blanched a little at the sight of Lucius Malfoy, who was lowering his cane, which was what he had been tapped with.

"Good morning, Severus. Out with your nephew, I see." His long blonde hair was tied back with a black silk ribbon. Narcissa was behind, Draco trailing behind her with a children's broom clutched in his hand.

"Mummy, bwoom! Bwoom!" Draco was red in the face, ready to throw himself on the floor in a fit. Julianne stiffened and turned, her wand at her side.

"Hello, Draco dear." She crouched on the ground, balancing on her heels, as he tossed the broom on the ground and threw himself in her arms.

"Bwoom, auntie, I want a bwoom!' She laughed and gathered him in her arms, standing up before her knees locked and she was stuck.

"Did you ask for one, or are you yelling for one?" Julianne picked up the toy broom on the ground and handed it to Narcissa before Draco could make a grab for it.

"I told Mummy, I told her!" He looked very pleased with himself.

"But did you ask?" Julianne raised an eyebrow. "Did you use your nice words or did you yell?"

"I yelled, but she no listen." Draco didn't like not getting his way.

"Maybe you should ask nicely. And understand you may not get the broom you want but you might have to wait." Julianne and Severus had already bought Draco a toy broom for his birthday at the end of the week and knew Narcissa was trying to ignore him so she wouldn't accidently tell her son.

"Mummy, can I have the bwoom peese?

Narcissa put the broom back on the shelf and took her son into her arms. "Maybe another day, sweetheart. Remember we were just getting ideas for toys we wanted to ask for our birthday? We aren't getting anything today."

"Oh…" Draco deflated a little and reached out for his father, who ruffled his hair, rather than carry him.

"Is Christopher with you today?" Narcissa tried to peek over the hood of the stroller, which Severus was tempted to pull down farther.

"No, we have someone else with us instead." Julianne was trying to tread carefully, not sure how they would react to them caring for Harry Potter. She put Draco down, as he was trying to wiggle out of her arms.

"Oh, one of your foster kids?" Lucius nodded, pleased that he must have figured it out.

"Yes, he is." Severus tightened his grip on the stroller.

Narcissa walked around with Draco and gasped when she saw the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. "You're taking care of Harry Potter?"

"Keep your voice down!" Severus hissed. The boy had fallen asleep in the stroller, his head lolled to the side, cheerios all over the tray.

"But why are you caring for him?" Lucius narrowed his eyes.

"Dumbledore tasked me with it. If I want to keep him in my pocket than I need to do as he says. Who knows, maybe he'll be an asset for the Dark Lord one day.

Lucius smiled widely. "That would be a clever idea. Raise him to reject the light." He also came around to see the boy. "He's tiny. How old is he?"

"Nearly 3" Julianne straightened her skirt, resuming the pushing of the stroller in front of her.

Julianne tapped her wand on the curtains that she wanted for the room, and the matching cushion for the rocking chair. Narcissa put Draco in the stroller that they had with them, but theirs had no tray and there was no hood. She had shopping to do for Draco's birthday on June 6th. She wanted to get small toys to hand out to the children that were going as thank you presents.

Picking out bookshelves and other shelving, Narcissa and Julianne shopped together while the two men trailed behind and talked.

"Do you have a plan for the room?" Lucius asked Severus. He had seen Christopher's bedroom when Draco had used the room when he slept over.

"I think her plan is to make the room a light yellow and grey. The boy came from an awful home and I think she wants him to feel welcome in our home." Severus shook his head. His nephew's room was a deep blue, fit for the Ravenclaw he would become. He had no doubt that the little boy with the lightning scar would be in Gryffindor like his mother and father. And without a doubt, he would be included in the wedding that was going to happen in the next 8 months.

Narcissa was pointing out all sorts of furniture for Harry's room, including a changing table that could be turned into another dresser once he was toilet trained. Closet organizers and a shoe organizer were next on the list. A large wooden toy box that could be customized with Harry's name was added as well, so he would have a place to put his toys. Draco was kicking his legs, trying to get her to move fast to the toy section, which they did eventually.

Julianne tapped a series of toys, from stuffed animals to blocks and coloring books. She planned on taking him to a muggle toy store to get him trucks and anything else he wanted, within reason of course. She wanted him to be able to be comfortable in their home, and to be able to not have to share toys with Christopher.

Narcissa pushed Draco down the aisles, careful not to put him too close to the items on the shelves. Shopping with Draco was usually a nightmare, as he would throw a tantrum or pull items of the shelves. Harry was a sweetheart, as he had woken up in the stuffed animal aisle and he kept to himself, playing with the ragged lion he held in his hand. He hadn't asked for anything, so Julianne was guessing based off of what his eyes were wandering to.

In the clothing section, heaps of clothes were added to the growing bill, from pants and tee shirts, to robes and shoes. Every sort of clothing item imaginable was set to be purchased, and she even got him a swimsuit to use in the lake behind their home. The Dursleys had not treated him in a manner that was suitable for a baby, but Julianne would have at least hoped they would have given him clothes that were not stained or full of holes.

In her years working for W.C.P.S., Julianne had seen so much pain and suffering. Children who were abused were always hard to handle, but some of the worst pain she had seen were children who lived in homes where parents just couldn't afford the children. That's why, in her and Severus' basement, there were bedrooms built for foster children, with their own living room and bathroom. They were always welcome to the rest of the house, but she knew that for some reason, they liked to sleep on a floor not occupied by her and her fiancé. The latest child they had cared for was a boy named Nikoli, who's mother was unable to pay for enough food for him and his sister. Julianne had taken both the boy and girl from the home, and gave them food, clothes and shelter in her own home while helping their mother Jennifer get a better paying job and an apartment that was not infested with rats and roaches.

She wasn't uncomfortable with taking children in, but it pained her and Severus that there were so many kids in the Wizarding World who were so poor and so abused. One of her favorite kids, she had taken and raised herself when she was 17, working as an intern for the summer. The little girl had been 8 at the time, and now a student at Hogwarts, at age 15, still wrote to the social worker, thankful for the aid she had received. Often Julianne had Katie babysit for the other foster kids that she had from time to time, for Katie knew what it was like to be in the system. Thankfully, a family had adopted her at the age of 12 and she was in a much better place.

Once they were done shopping, the party of four and their children walked up to the counter where their purchases were waiting. Once they handed over a small pile of galleons, the clerk wrapped the miniature furniture and toys over in a wrapped box. Waving goodbye to the Malfoys', Harry was reloaded back into the car, with the stroller and the box of furniture.

"Okay, so I want to swing by the toy store by our house to see if they have some muggle toys that Harry likes."

Severus clicked his belt on and nodded, looking back at Harry who was nodding off again in the back seat. "How does that sound Harry?"

"Mmmkay…" his eyes were droopy, and he stuck his thumb into his mouth.

"It's a long drive, love, so if you're hungry or need to go to the bathroom, you need to tell us, alright?"

"Mmmm." His head lolled and he was out again.

"I think it's a good thing that he's sleeping right now," Julianne pulled onto the highway toward Yorkshire. "He obviously trusts us enough to fall asleep with us, thankfully. That makes our job that much easier."

The drive home was uneventful and with a pit stop for sandwiches and one bathroom break for the three of them, they stopped at a toy store a few miles from their home.

Harry was snacking on cut up carrots that they had picked up before the last leg of their journey home. "More toys for Hawwy?"

"Yes, more toys for Harry." She cut off the car and got out, getting the stroller and the boy, getting him in the stroller and strapping him in.

"Do you want some trucks?" Severus took over pushing the stroller into the store, excited to shop with the boy like his father never did with him.

"Hawwy get trucks? Can Hawwy get paints?"

"Of course!" Severus crouched next to him with a few trucks in his hand for the boy to choose. Harry pulled a bright red fire truck from his hands and started to play with it on the tray. Severus put the ambulance and the tow truck into the basket under the stroller, and then took the fire truck from the boy with a promise he would get it back in a few minutes, and put it in the basket with the other trucks.

Julianne came over with water color paints and paper and large brushes. Crayons and markers made their way into the basket, with Harry grinning broadly with everything they showed him. They continued to pile in toys and other goodies into the basket, before the trio moved up to the counter to pay for them.

"Alright lovie, ready to go home?" Julianne held the bags in her hand and held open the door for the boys.

"Yay!" he clapped his hands together, the red truck on the tray again.

*S*S*

Pulling into the driveway of a cottage, Julianne got out once more and let Harry out, placing him on the driveway. Severus gathered the bags and Julianne took his hand, and led him into the house.

"Harry, this is your new home. You're welcome to go into any of the rooms, except the basement, alright? We have a lab down there and we don't want you to get hurt." They moved up the stairs to the hallway where the bedrooms were. Pushing open a door on the right, there was an empty room with a hard wood floor.

"This is your room, Harry," She waved her wand and the shrunken furniture resized itself, scattered around the room. "What do you think? Should your bed go under the window?

"Yeah!" He jumped up and clapped his hands, watching wide eyed at the floating crib as it resettled under the window. Waving her wand again, the bedding tucked itself in, the pillow laying itself at the head of the bed.

Severus was waving his wand at the walls, testing paint samples against the grey rug that covered most of the floor. "What do you think? Light yellow, light green or maybe this orange?

"Orange!" Harry yelled from the floor, pushing his truck over the floor.

"Well, that settles that." Severus waved his wand and coated the whole room with light orange paint. He continued to move the dresser into the corner of the room and the changing table next to it. The rocking chair went next to the closet in the corner, and to toy box on the wall across from it. Julianne picked up all the toys and tucked them away into the chest, leaving the truck out for Harry to play with. The extra bedding was cast away to the linin cabinet. On the back of the door, a shoe organizer attached itself, giving the boy a place to put his shoes at the end of the day.

"Hawwy gets to stay here forever?" Harry looked around the room as the furniture fell into place

"Yes, Harry, you get to stay here forever." Severus picked up the little boy and settled him on his hip. "That is, if you want to be." He jostled him a little. "We have such a big house and we could always use a little boy being loud."

"Hawwy can do that!" Harry nearly yelled.

"That's good, things were getting too boring here.'"

*S*S*

Later that night, Julianne was cooking dinner while Severus and Harry colored at the table. Her heels were kicked next to the front door and she was sliding around the kitchen in her shirt, skirt and hose. She loved how her husband behaved with the children they brought in. He was hard on them at Hogwarts, but at home, he was so gentle. He was so careful to make them all feel loved and stable in their home, and when kids, like Katie, were sat down and given a talk that Severus had to be 'mean and nasty' while at school, but he really didn't mean it towards them. Often, the kids would stay in his quarters on the weekend.

Julianne pushed around the chicken she was cooking in the pan, keeping it from sticking. "Harry, baby, do you want rice or mashed potatoes?"

"Podadoes, peese!" His tongue was stuck out in concentration as he colored the dragon on the page.

"Alright, Severus?"

"The same, love." He finished the drawing and put the crayons in the container they belonged in, getting up to help his fiancée to plate the meal and bring it to the table. He usually cooked while she did her paperwork, but Harry had insisted that Severus colored with him before dinner.

Carrying the plates to the table, Severus pulled the drawing away from Harry and put the crayons away, with a promise he could return once he was done eating. Putting the child sized plate down with cut up chicken and mashed potatoes and a small amount of peas, the two adults sat with the child for their meal. Severus picked the boy up and plopped him into the chair with the booster seat, so he could reach the table.

The boy had been excited to eat at the big table with his two rescuers, but bad memories of his auntie and uncle were creeping in. They would hit him if he took their food. Would these people do the same thing? Were they trying to trick him?

As a result, Harry refused to pick up his tiny fork and eat. The two adults were giving each other looks, trying to decipher what was wrong. Finally Julianne reached over and handed him his fork.

"Harry, you need to eat. No one is going to get mad at you." She closed his hand on the fork, smiling at him kindly.

"But Hawwy a fweak. Auntie said."

"You are not a freak. But you will be hungry later if you don't eat. You don't want to go to bed hungry, do you?"

"No…" he took the fork in his hand firmly and scooped up some peas. "Mmmmmm! Yummy!"

Severus and Julianne smiled at each other, watching him eat for a few moments before they started on their own meals. The little boy was seemingly quickly adjusting to the household, but Julianne was pretty sure that he wouldn't be very trusting come bedtime. Most of the kids who came into her home were nervous come bedtime. There was a fear that would be present, no matter how calm and trusting they were during the day, when they would be put in bed and left for several hours. A lot of the children would panic, terrified that they would be abandoned during the night, or that they would be attacked during their sleep.

Harry finished his peas and poked at the chicken, sure now that it would be taken away. With his Aunty and Uncle, if Dudley wanted more, he would have to give him his food. Sometimes, Dudley just said he wanted more so Harry couldn't eat that night.

Severus noticed his reluctance to eat and he pushed his own plate closer to Harry, moving his chair. "Hey little man, what's wrong?"

"Hawwy not allowed to eat chicken… Dudley always takes it from Hawwy." He looked glumly at his plate.

Severus picked up his fork and speared a piece of chicken. "Dudley is not here. I have my own, and Julianne has her own as well. We don't want your food, and no one will ever take your food while you are here. I promise."

"Okay…" He took a small bite and looked up at Severus who smiled at the boy.

"Now, I bet that we can finish before Julianne does." The two boys looked at her and she pretended to fumble with her fork, dropping it on the ground.

"Oh no I have to get another fork. You two should play fair and wait till I get back before you continue eating." She walked through the open kitchen door and fumbled with the drawer, making a racket.

"Quick, Harry now's our chance." Severus pointed to his chicken and the two made quick work of their meals, Severus making sure that the boy was not going to choke while he ate.

"Oh, you two don't play fair!" Julianne came back with a clean fork, and she plopped down on her chair again. "Now I'm going to have to work double time to catch up!" Julianne made a show of eating slower than normal, making Harry laugh.

Harry couldn't remember the last time a meal was so enjoyable for him. He could eat at the table with the nice man and lady who fed him and gave him all sorts of toys and clothes. The toys weren't even hand me downs, but new toys that were all for him. He was allowed to pick the ones he wanted. He picked the color of the room that he was to stay in. And the nice lady had told Uncle Vernon that he had been naughty!

"Done!" Harry slammed his fork down, bits of chicken falling out of his mouth. He laughed when Julianne and Severus beamed at him, which prompted him to clap his hands a little.

"Good job, Harry." Severus ruffled his hair a little, picking up his own empty plate and then the little boy's. "Why don't we do the dishes while Julie finishes her dinner?"

"Does Hawwy have to do them alone?"

"Of course not!" Severus shuffled the plates to one hand and then hauled the boy onto his hip to carry him into the kitchen to wash the dishes. Julianne waved her wand and her briefcase came floating over to her. While the boys were preoccupied, she would be able to get her work done, as she had to place five children in homes before the week was out. And she had to file for compensation for the toys and furniture that Severus and her had bought that afternoon.

She had to also file for custody of the boy, which would not be an issue, and she had to arrange for a series of doctor's appointments. Her team would discover if he had been to a doctor of any sort since he was with Lily and James, but she doubted it. She dug a pen out of her bag, uncapping the instrument to fill out the forms.

Name: Harry James Potter

Date of Birth: 7/31/80

Parents: Lily Potter nee Evans (DEC.) and James Potter (DEC.)

Status: Orphan

Adoption eligibly: YES

Current Legal Guardians: Vernon and Petunia nee Evans

Relationship Status: Married

Address: 4 Privet Drive, Surrey, England

Guardian Request: Julianne Moore and Severus Snape

Relationship Status: Engaged to be married

Address: 88 Jasper Street, Essex England

Current Guardian careers: Director for Grunnings (Vernon Dursley), Housewife (Petunia Dursley)

Requested Guardian careers: Potions Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Severus Snape), Assistant Director of Wizarding Child Protective Services (Julianne Moore)

The documents went on and on, Julianne's hand cramping as she went through page after page. The W.C.P.S wanted to know house size, room number, bathrooms, whether or not there was a bathroom near the child's room, how much they made annually… Her mind reeled from all the information she had to give. Every child had to have these forms filled out, regardless if the couple had fostered before. The adoption process was a little longer than the fostering process, as adoption was seen as forever in the Wizarding World.

As she finished the forms, Harry came running into the room, stumbling as he went. He was soaked from head to toe, but he was beaming.

Severus came out of the kitchen with a wet towel in his hand, and a dry one in the other. "I tried to get him to hold still, but he refused and ran out here."

Julianne picked up the boy, standing as she did so. "Oh, Harry, what are we going to do with you? Let's get you in some dry pajamas perhaps? Maybe a bath?"

"No baf, no baf!" He squirmed and tried to get away from the woman who had an iron grip on her.

"Harry, you need a bath. We have fun toys and water crayons and bubbles. You can use whatever you want and it'll be nice and warm."

"Nooooooo!" He kicked as she went up the stairs with Severus. She knew how to handle his body and when he went limp, she was prepared.

Getting in the bathroom, Severus shut and locked the door, and Julianne put Harry's sobbing body on the ground. She sat next to him on the floor and reached under the sink for the bubble bath and the toys.

"Well, Severus, Harry doesn't want to play with the toys we have, ap I guess we'll have to play alone. Julianne waved her wand and the tub was filling with warm water, perfect for Harry's skin. She Added the bubbles as well, the fruity smell taking over the bathroom.

"I guess so," he took a tug boat out of the bin and placed it in the water, pushing it along with his hand. "I wish Harry would want to play with us, but I guess he would rather lay in the floor.

Julie picked up the whale Christopher usually played with and plopped it in the water. It came to life, diving under the water, only to come up and shoot water out of the blowhole. She felt Harry sit up next to her and reach for the whale.

"Hawwy play?"

"Of course, Lovie." Julianne lifted him to stand in her lap so he could reach the toy whale in the tub.

When he touched the water, he cringed back, but eventually continued, sighing when the water wasn't freezing cold or burning hot when he touched it. His Auntie always made sure it was one or the other, and he hated baths. She was also really rough with his hair and his skin, and she would hit him when he cried.

"Do you want to get in the water with him?"

Harry thought for a while before he slowly nodded his head. He had touched the water, the two of them were nice to him and they had so many toys to play with in the bath. They even put bubbles in the water for him to play with, just like Auntie did for Dudley.

He was still very hesitant, and tried to fight them on taking his shirt and pants off to get in the tub. "Hawwy keep! Hawwy keep!"

"But how will you get all clean if you have your clothes on?" Severus gently pulled his shirt off and blew a raspberry on the boy's tummy. While he was distracted, Julianne took his pants and diaper off so Severus could lift him and dangle his legs in the water.

"Alright, I want you to get comfortable in the water, love." Julianne had made sure that the water was only deep enough to come up to his belly button when he sat, so he would be able to stand up and climb out if it was too much.

"Okay…" He sniffed, and sat in the water carefully. It was nice and warm, and the bubbles smelt good. Auntie never gave him bubbles, just hard bar soap that smelt like old ladies.

Julianne took a soft flannel cloth out of the drawer marked Christopher and some of his baby soap. "Are you ready, Harry?"

"I guess so…" He screwed his eyes up tight and waited for something. Pain, most likely, but something. Instead, he felt a warm, soft cloth lightly scrubbing his back free of any dirt. His eyes flew open and he looked up at the two adults before him.

"So, while Julie washes you, how about you and I play?" Severus held out the bin of bath toys, waiting for Harry to pick one. When he couldn't make up his mind, Severus dumped them all in the tub with a crash. "How about we play with all of them?" He handed Harry a tugboat, this one blue and orange.

Harry looked at the toy in his hand with wonder, and with a grin, he pushed the toy through the water, plowing through the bubbles. Julianne and Severus looked at each other with sorrow, unable to wrap their heads around the boy's treatment and that he was unable to receive even the smallest bit of kindness, and now he was finally getting that.

Julianne wanted to scoop him up and kiss all his problems away, but she knew there were more issues that would have to be addressed as he got more comfortable with them. Therapy would have to be booked, education would have to be addressed and she would have to decide if it was worth taking the Dursleys' to court over the abuse of the little boy. She had a feeling that Severus would want to take them to court for the boy. She had a feeling there would be a fight for custody because to the Dursleys' the little boy that was currently in her tub was only an extra paycheck. She knew from looking at the paperwork that she got from her job that the Dursleys' got 160 pounds a month from the Ministry for the care of Harry. She knew that they did not spend that money on the boy, but on their spoiled son, which infuriated her to no end.

She moved on to the boy's hair, gently scrubbing his scalp with the baby shampoo, making sure to keep the soap from his eyes. How anyone could hurt this sweet little boy was beyond her, as he was so kind and loving.

Once bath time was over, she wrapped him in a large fluffy towel to carry him into his new room. "Ready for jammies?"

"Yeah!"

Julianne brought him to the changing table and quickly diapered him for the night. Next, a pair of pajamas with feet to keep him warm. Lifting him after making quick work of the changing, she took him to the rocking chair and held him on her lap, cuddling with him before bed.

Severus reached into the basket of books they had set up, handing her the cardboard book titled, _Puff's Magic Adventure,_ which was a children's story about a dragon who went on a picnic to make friends. It was his nephews favorite book and he insisted they read it every night before bed.

When the book was over, Julianne kissed the boy's forehead and brought him to the crib, tucking him in. Severus came over and kissed him goodnight as well, as he had done for every child that had passed through their home. She reached into the basket of stuffed animals, and retrieved his stuffed lion, tucking it into his arms.

"Sleep well, love." Julianne plugged in a night light before she and Severus turned off the light and shut the door, leaving it slightly open so the light from the hallway also entered the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 is up!

Julianne and Severus went down the stairs, Severus casting a minding charm on the boy's door so they would hear everything that happened in his room.

Severus went to the liquor cabinet and poured his fiancée a glass of chilled white wine, which she gladly accepted.

"You know we have our work cut out for us, right?" Julianne tucked herself into his arms, sipping her wine.

"I do, but we've done this before, love." Severus kissed the top of her head a few times, moving her hair out of her face.

"We've fostered before. I started the documents to adopt Harry. I think he needs a stable environment and bouncing him from home to home will just confuse him more. I want him to stay with us permanently and that means most likely we will have to take the Dursleys' to court."

"And if that's what we have to do, then we do it. I didn't take him from that space for him to get sent right back there."

"Thank you." She tilted her head up to kiss him as the floo network activated, revealing Albus Dumbledore on their hearth.

"Albus." Julianne broke away from Severus and placed her wine on the coffee table before standing up. "What brings you here?"

"Where is the boy?" He skipped the pleasantries and ignored Julianne all together, staring at Severus with white hot fire in his eyes.

"Sleeping, so if you would keep your voice down, he would stay that way." Severus crossed his arms as he stood up as well, his own temper flaring.

"I told you to watch him, not take him from the home!"

"They were starving him! Beating him and treating him like a house elf since day one, so what was I supposed to do? Leave him to die?"

"He wouldn't have died," Albus scoffed at the younger man, shaking his head.

"Wouldn't have died? WOULDN'T HAVE DIED? MY FATHER DID THE SAME TO ME AND I NEARLY DIED FROM MALNOURISHMENT! I WOULD LIKE TO SPARE THAT LITTLE BOY WHO DID NO HARM TO ANYONE FROM HAVING TO EAT GRASS AND INSECTS TO SURVIVE!" The potions master's chest was heaving from anger, ready to throw the Headmaster from his home.

"Keep it down!" Julianne hissed, waving her hands at the two.

Again she was ignored as the two started to scream at each other over duty and the blood protection that resided in the Dursley home when the Minding Charm was activated, causing all of the adults to fall silent as soft cries drifted down the stairs to them. In a flash, the two foster parents ran full speed up the stairs, leaving Albus to follow in their wake.

Inside the room, Harry was cowering in the crib, unable to get out, his lion clutched in his fists, pressing it to his face. When the door was opened, he swiped at his tears, trying to stem the flow.

"Sowwy, sowwy!" Harry shook his head as Julianne lifted him from the crib and wrapped him blanket and all in her arms.

"Shhhhh, it's alright." She rubbed his back and paced the room, shooting the two glares as she tried to calm the sobbing boy. "Shhhhh, my sweet boy, everything is okay. You're safe, no one is mad at you." She pressed kiss after kiss into his hair, bouncing him as she walked.

Severus watched from the doorway as his fiancée cooed over the baby, trying to curb his anger at the Headmaster. He jerked his head to the hallway, leading the older man into the other bedroom in the house, silencing the door to his nephew's bedroom, flicking on the lights.

"See now why I took him?" Severus crossed his arms, and raised a single eyebrow. "He's so needy right now for attention and care and aid. Julie and I are prepared to do that. We want to do that."

Dumbledore wiped a hand over his face, looking 100 years older than he was. "This won't work. The wards are strongest at Petunia's."

"The wards be damned, Albus!" Severus flung his hands in the air. "She gave me a shopping bag with his lion, a moth eaten sweatshirt that was stained and much to large for him and maybe two shirts. His diaper was full, his body unwashed. He has the worst case of diaper rash I have ever seen. It's dry and peeling, and where that's not happening, where there isn't blood, he has blisters. She hasn't changed his diaper all week. If I had to guess, he's been trying to do so himself and he doesn't know how to clean himself properly."

Albus looked horrified and turned toward the hallway where the pair could still hear the terrified sobs of a broken 2 year old drifting toward them.

"The only way for this to work is a legal adoption. The full package. Paperwork, the sign over of rights and a blood ceremony. We need to create new bloodwards. With any luck, they are stronger than the ones with the Dursleys'." Albus sighed and gestured to the door. "Maybe we should see how he's doing."

Severus cancelled the charm and the two left the room to the open door of Harry's, who was now being rocked back to sleep in the rocking chair, his cries subsiding into the stray tear and lots of sniffles. His face was buried into Julianne's neck and she was moving slowly, singing to him in her softest voice, reserved for the most special cases, usually those who were at risk of hurting themselves. She wanted to make sure that Harry knew he was safe in their home and that he should be able to make it his home as well.

" Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night

Sailed off in a wooden shoe,—

Sailed on a river of crystal light

Into a sea of dew.

"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"

The old moon asked the three.

"We have come to fish for the herring-fish

That live in this beautiful sea;

Nets of silver and gold have we,"

Said Wynken,

Blynken,

And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,

As they rocked in the wooden shoe;

And the wind that sped them all night long

Ruffled the waves of dew;

The little stars were the herring-fish

That lived in the beautiful sea.

"Now cast your nets wherever you wish,—

Never afraid are we!"

So cried the stars to the fishermen three,

Wynken,

Blynken,

And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw

To the stars in the twinkling foam,—

Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,

Bringing the fishermen home:

'Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed

As if it could not be;

And some folk thought 'twas a dream they'd dreamed

Of sailing that beautiful sea;

But I shall name you the fishermen three:

Wynken,

Blynken,

And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,

And Nod is a little head,

And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies

Is a wee one's trundle-bed;

So shut your eyes while Mother sings

Of wonderful sights that be,

And you shall see the beautiful things

As you rock in the misty sea

Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:—

Wynken,

Blynken,

And Nod."

Julianne finished with a small smile, as Harry's eyes finally dropped shut for a second time that night. When she was sure he would stay asleep if she transferred him to the crib, she stood, moving to the crib, laying him down inside.

With a finger on her lips, the trio moved out of the room, and the Minding Charm was renewed, along with a silencing charm, in case the two went at it again, Harry would not wake up.

"So, you two were successful in waking up a toddler. Congrats." Julianne picked up her wine once more and drained the glass.

"Miss Moore, with all due respect-"

"No, Albus. You do not respect me when we are at Order meetings or at Ministry events or even in my own home. I am not below you, I am not to be degraded and if you interrupt me on a topic you know nearly nothing about, so help me Merlin, the Aurors will be dragging you out of my house. Clear?"

When he raised no objection, she continued. "Perfect. Now, I have logged over 40,000 hours working with children like Harry. I am an expert in all things social work and listen well when I tell you this. No matter how strong blood wards are, no number of wards will keep him from being killed in that home. He is not 100% protected there. Here, we will be feeding him at least 3 times a day, he has a real room with a real bed. He has the ability to make friends his own age through the Daycare program with the W.C.P.S. He will be given the chance to advance and catch up with children his own age. This is the best place for him right now. Severus and I are working toward getting the Dursleys' in court for custody of Harry and we will be preforming a blood adoption to secure his place in our family. This is not up for debate. It's happening with or without your consent."

She swallowed hard and then raised a finger toward the fireplace. "I would appreciate it if you left my home. You've caused enough damage tonight."

Dumbledore shot her a dirty look before he took his leave. Julianne waved her wand and locked the floo behind him with a huff.

"I can't believe he came into our house uninvited." She plopped onto the couch, with a cross look on her face.

"That's just how he is. He comes into my quarters all the time unannounced." Severus sat next to her. "What are we going to do with Harry tomorrow? You have work and I have to be at the school."

"I was going to take him with me. I want him to meet Theresa and Denise in Daycare and Alexander in therapy so that he'll be more comfortable with them without me there."

"Can you do that?"

"Of course. I can bring some work with me to the playground area and watch him and see how he does. I have toys for Christopher in my office and he can sit and play while I get stuff done."

*S*S*

Severus entered the boy's room early the next morning, already dressed for the day. "Hey, little man, it's time to get ready for the day."

Harry lifted his head from the mattress, still half asleep. "Hawwy make breakfast?" He yawned, rubbing his eyes with his fists.

"No, Harry does not have to make breakfast, BUT, there is breakfast on the table waiting for you." Severus picked the boy up and laid him on the changing table, taking off his pajamas and taking off his soiled diaper. He wiped him down and swiped on the diaper rash cream to treat his extreme diaper rash, putting another diaper on the boy.

He set the child on the ground and together, they walked to the dresser to pick out the boy's clothes for the day.

"Do you want to wear the shirt with the snitch on it?" Severus sat on the ground with the boy to pick out his clothes. He took out the shirt and laid it out, along with a pair of child sized black shorts. Harry took the shirt and with a little struggle got it on. With a little help from Severus, he got the shorts on. Severus stood and picked Harry up, taking shoes and socks with them downstairs.

Julianne stood at the counter with her coffee in hand, today dressed in a blue skirt which fell to the knees and a white button up shirt, charmed to repeal stains. Her black heels were back on, as well as the hose.

"Hi baby!" She put her coffee down and pressed a kiss to his head, moving to the stove to dole out oatmeal to the nearly 3 year old. "Are you hungry?"

"Mhmmm," Harry was placed into his booster seat and the oatmeal was placed before him along with a sippy cup filled with orange juice.

"So, you're going to be coming to work with me today, Harry. Severus has to go to work, but we thought you would want to come to work with me so you can play in our playground with me and the other kids."

"Will dey want to pway with Hawwy?" The boy's lip quivered as Severus stuck a spoon in the bowl for him to use to feed himself.

"Of course they will!" Julianne placed the fry up she had made in front of Severus and brought her own plate on the table. She fixed Severus a mug of coffee and she sat next to them at the table, watching Harry devour the food. She was surprised at how well he was eating today, and she figured that as long as he was eating, she wasn't going to jinx it. Needless to say, the more he ate, the more of the nutrient potion he would be ingesting, which served to help him put on weight. She wanted him to be as healthy as possible once they took the Dursleys' to court for custody. She knew she had to start building a case, and resolved that when they got home, she would take pictures of the emaciated boy.

"How long will you be gone today?" Julianne finished her coffee and sent the cup to the sink to wash out.

"Most likely until dinner. Why?" Severus tapped the boy's juice to prompt him to finish it.

"I have a short day today. I should be done by 4:30. I can come back here and start dinner, or Harry and I can come see you at the school?"

"I won't be much longer than 5. It would be a waste to come to Hogwarts for a half hour. I have some work to do on Saturday, so if you want to come then and we can set up a room for Harry there as well."

Julianne stood and gathered her bag from the counter. "Perfect then." She waited until Harry was finished his breakfast before sending his dishes to the sink and kissing Severus goodbye. "Alright Harry, say goodbye to Severus and we'll be off."

"Bye-bye!" He waved goodbye and the two walked to the fireplace to floo to the office. "Where we going?"

"We're going to the office." Julianne hoisted the boy onto her hip. "You have to hold onto me super tightly, alright?" She took a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. "Hold your breath, love. And put your face in my neck. That's it."

"W.C.P.S office, London!" she cried, tossing the powder down and disappearing in the green flame.

*S*S*

The two stepped from the fireplace, Harry's cheeks bulging like a chipmunk's as he held his breath on her instruction.

"You can breath now, Harry." Julianne walked through the office with purpose, her heels clicking like fireworks on the hardwood floor.

The boy let his breath go and looked around the office in wonder as they approached the office door of Julianne Moore.

"Wow!" Harry squirmed until Julianne let him down, running over to the child sized table that was set up with crayons, markers and paint.

"You can use it," she said, sitting down at her desk, pulling her paperwork over to the edge. "All the toys in the chest are free game as well."

Julianne wanted her office to be as welcoming for children as possible. Knowing that meetings were easier when everyone was comfortable, she filled her space with a plush sofa, chairs, toys, stuffed animals, coloring materials and more. She acted as a social worker for some kids, and a foster mom for others. She was a counselor and a friend and offered resources for parents for cheaper day care. She helped parents find housing that accommodated their children and fit into their price range. She knew from experience how hard it was of parents to make sure their kids were safe while they worked. Julianne, her sister Sabrina and her brothers were left alone during the day while her parents worked, as they could not afford daycare. The four of them took care of each other, but there was a lot looking back that Julianne was not happy with.

She and her siblings were always fed and clothed, but often they ate cold cereal and tinned beans because that's all they knew how to cook. When Brian learned how to make pancakes, they were over the moon, and then Dylan took out cookbooks from the library to make meals for the four. They would spend hours in the kitchen, making meals for 6 so their parents could have food made when they came home.

When she went to University, she ate very minimally until she met Severus, who was just like her. Then, she took all her skills she learned from being left alone for hours to make him meals that would sustain him. Her siblings had loved him instantly, even though he had joined the ranks of Lord Voldemort, as he had explained when he had proposed to Julianne when he was 20 and she was 19, turning 20, that he was a spy for the Light. After that point, the family made sure that he was always welcomed whenever he wished to come over. The paid had planned to be married at 20. After his trial when the Dark Lord fell, the family had banded together to clear his name, spending hundreds of galleons on newspaper articles and magazine stories. The wedding had been postponed until everything was cleared.

Julianne set about her paperwork, looking up every once and a while at the boy who was furiously coloring on his sheet.

After 20 minutes, the little boy stood and toddled over, holding a light blue sheet of coloring paper out to her, trying to get her to take it. She reached out and took hold of the paper, looking at the drawing little Harry did.

"Wow, Harry, this is amazing." She looked at the drawing, seeing the scribbles resembling a tall man dressed in all black, a shorter figure with a purple torso and a black triangle for a skirt and a smaller figure who had bright green eyes. The shortest figure was in between the two taller ones, and they were all holding hands. "I think this should go right here." She took a push pin and hung the drawing on the corkboard next to her patient area.

Harry beamed and returned to the table to continue his drawing when there was a knock on the door before it opened.

"Hello Emily." Julianne closed her file. "What can I do for you?"

"Hannah is here for her appointment. She's in the waiting room."

"Alright, um, Harry?" Julianne called the boy over to her. "I need you to go with Emily to the park, okay? I have to talk with my friend Hannah."

"Do Hawwy have to?"

"Yes, but I'll be over in 30 minutes." She waved her wand and a timer appeared. She twisted the knob and it started ticking. "Here. Once that goes off, I'll be on my way to come and pick you up."

"Okay…" Harry took the timer and allowed Emily to take his hand.

As the two walked down the hallway, Julianne could hear her assistant talking to the boy as they moved toward the park.

"Do you want to go on the swings?"

Julianne could not hear the boy's response but focused her attention on Hannah walking into her office. "Hello Hannah!" Julianne pulled the girl's file onto her lap as Hannah sat on the couch across from her. "How are you today?"

"Alright, I guess." Hannah reached out for the stress toy that laid on the coffee table.

"Just alright?" Julianne marked what she said on the file. Hannah's father had abused her and her mother, and Julianne had helped the pair get a restraining order and a new home away from the original town. Her mother, Mary, continued to bring her daughter to see Julianne a year after the divorce to continue healing. Hannah was going to Hogwarts the upcoming September, and they wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Yeah, I guess I'm a little nervous for the upcoming school year." She sighed. "What if I don't make friends? What if I'm a Slytherin?"

Julianne chuckled. "Well, my fiancé is the head of Slytherin house, so he'll make sure you're okay. I can understand the nervousness though, I was scared too when I was your age."

"You were?"

"I was indeed. My advice? Talk to people on the train. Find some first years when you get on and sit with them. That's how I made friends. If that's too intimidating, you can always join some clubs, talk to some people at the feast, or talk to some kids in your classes. See if you all can do some homework together."

"And that will work?" Hannah squeezed the stress toy, making it's eyes pop out repeatedly.

"It could, but you have to put in the work, dear." She smiled. "If you're having issues, you can talk to Severus. He'll understand what you're going through."

"Did he have problems making friends?"

"Oh yes! He had the hardest time, but he pushed through and he has so many friends now that we still see all the time. And remember, all the first years are in the same boat as you. If you still are having problems, my friend's children are going. Her son, Bill Weasley is starting his 2nd year and her son Charlie is starting his first. They have red hair a tons of freckles. They would love to spend time with you. Bill loves talking about defense and Charlie loves dragons, just like you."

"Really?" Hannah's face lit up. "No one ever loves dragons. They're so misunderstood!"

"Charlie feels the same way. He wants to be a dragon handler, just like you as well."

"I really want to meet him, would that be possible? Like before school?" Hannah pleaded, her eyes large.

"I don't know…. I can't give your information out to Molly, that's a breach of ethics, love. But I can ask her if it's alright if I give your mother her information. Then it's up to your mum if you meet, okay? Why don't we call Mum in and ask her?"

Julianne got up and moved to the door, poking her head out. "Sandy, I have a quick question for you."

"Oh course, what's going on?" A woman with dirty blonde hair pulled into a ponytail looked up from her Witch Weekly magazine.

Julianne came to sit next to her instead of lingering in the doorway. "So, a very good friend of mine has two sons who are going into Hogwarts this year, one as a second year and the other as a first. Her first year child is very interested in becoming a dragon handler and Hannah is very afraid of making friends, or rather, not making friends while she's there. So, she asked if I can give you Molly's information, Molly Weasley, that is, so you can meet her and Hannah can meet her sons. Molly has helped me before, this wouldn't be an issue."

"Actually, Julie, Molly is in the park today, playing with the babies. It's her volunteer day." One of the secretaries poked her head out of her cubicle.

"Oh perfect!" Julianne stood up. "After I finish up with Hannah, why don't we all go to the park? I have to pick up my son anyways."

"Oh, when did you have a son?" Sandy asked, looking confused.

"Severus and I are fostering another child. This one we're trying to formally adopt."

"Congratulations!" Sandy stood and gave Julianne a hug, which the other woman was glad to return.

"Thank you! Let me finish up with Hannah and then we can all head down together."

 **Thank you for your continued support!**


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